Message from Chair (2006-2008)

It is a pleasure to greet you as Chair of the Canadian Rural Health Research Society (CRHRS). The next few years of the CRHRS are crucial ones in order to meet the overall goals of fostering research and knowledge translation aimed at understanding and promoting the health of people living in rural and remote Canada. To achieve this, as an organization we need to connect with other individuals involved in rural health across Canada and in other countries around the globe. Capacity building will also be a major emphasis as we prepare the next generation of rural health researchers. Finally, we need to continually determine and implement ways through which we can successfully work with rural communities to generate their input and ideas about what really matters to them. To do this, we need to always ask so what, what for, and what will we do when we find out the information?

There are many rewards when we work with rural communities whether we do so as researchers, practitioners or community members. We make new friends, visit interesting places and see the world through a different set of glasses. Do not forget to:

celebrate successes of new knowledge,

build the capacity of the community--whether that includes hiring local catering companies to training local members to be research assistants,

be political advocates for the things that matter to rural communities and ultimately to all of us (rural sustainability, preservation of a lifestyle, protecting the earth, water and air),

be messengers in our own institutions about the importance of addressing rural health issues in their broadest context

envision where we want to go next and last but not least,

rejuvenate ourselves so that we can be more effective in what we are doing…

The years ahead will be full of curves, but taken together the journey will be momentous with magnificent views! I look forward to the journey with you!